


The Story of Minerva

by loveydoveyecstasy



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Erik adopts a kitty, Erik loves animals and is adorable, Fluff, M/M, Rainbow hair 'verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-26
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-11-04 08:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/391992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveydoveyecstasy/pseuds/loveydoveyecstasy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or, Erik adopts a kitten for Charles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Getting a kitten wasn’t in the plan. Sirius, at the very least, had been talked about. It had been assumed that the dog would be theirs rather than belonging to one of them, but Sirius had taken an immediate liking to Erik, and was clearly more attached to him than he was to Charles. 

Erik felt guilty because of this. He saw how desperately Charles tried to get Sirius to love him like he loved Erik, but failed miserably. So he made the decision to adopt another puppy for Charles to raise and love. 

Except when he got to the shelter, his attention was immediately captured by a tiny kitten riding on the shoulder of a shelter volunteer. It was smaller than the average kitten, and had black and grey fur with a little white tuft on its chest. It mewled at Erik when he glanced at it, and his heart melted. 

“Excuse me, miss. Is that kitten old enough to adopt out?” 

“Oh yes, but she’s rather high maintenance. You see, her mother died of pneumonia shortly after giving birth to her and her siblings, and she’s the runt of the litter. Poor thing was on the edge of death when we got her. She has to be hand fed, and only formula, because her stomach can’t handle solid kitten food just yet. Our veternarians said it’ll be another month before she can stomach solid food, and as a result, she’s rather weak and prone to sickness. But she’s a sweetheart and loves everyone. Would you like to hold her?” 

“Yes please.” Erik carefully took the little kitten off of her shoulder, cradling it in one of his hands. He gently ran a finger over the top of her head, and she stared up at him with big, sad, yellow eyes, and mewled again. 

Erik was sold on the kitten. 

“I’ll take her,” he said, holding the little creature close to his chest. The lady smiled, obviously touched by Erik’s instant connection and adoration for the kitten. 

“Excellent. I’ll go get her papers and food for you.” Erik nodded, not really listening as he looked down at the little kitten. She stared up at him with big, unblinking yellow eyes. When Erik smiled at her, she purred in her tiny kitten voice. 

“Charles is going to love you,” he murmured. She purred louder, seeming to understand. “I just hope Sirius does too.” 

The lady returned with a bag of items and a packet of papers in hand. She led Erik to the front of the shelter and helped him fill out the animal adoption forms. She walked him through the kitten’s feeding routine, and what to do in case of a medical emergency with her. She gave him the kitten’s shot records and the name of the vet they used, as well as the names of a few other vets in the area. Thanking her, Erik carried the bag and the kitten out to his car. He kept the kitten cradled close to his chest, where she purred loudly and happily. 

“You’re going to need a name, missy,” he told her as he set her bag of things in the backseat of the car. Holding the hand with the kitten in it out from his body, he studied her for a few long moments. 

“I should probably let Charles name you. But you’re so damn cute. You look like a Minerva to me.” Erik grinned. “Okay. You’re Minerva. Charles can deal with it.” 

The kitten mewled and blinked at him. 

“Glad you agree. Now, lets go home.” 

Erik settled into the drivers seat carefully, putting Minerva up on his shoulder. She curled up against his neck and closed her eyes, clearly at home and feeling safe with Erik. Smiling happily, he drove home with the kitten purring and sleeping on his shoulder. 

She continued to sleep even as he removed her from his shoulder and carried her into the house. Sirius was in the back yard, thankfully, so Minerva was spared his enthusiastic welcome home. 

Charles was nowhere to be found, so Erik settled down on the couch and pulled out his phone. 

_Where are you?_

The reply came quickly. 

_Pulling into the driveway. Miss me? ;)_

_Yes. Have a surprise for you. :)_

“Oh really?” Erik grinned at the sound of Charles’s voice, floating in from the entryway as he dropped his keys in their Key Bowl and kicked his shoes off. “And what kind of surprise do I have waiting for me?”

“Come in the living room and find out!” Erik called back, shifting so that Minerva was sitting on his chest as he reclined on the couch. 

“Oooh, I wonder what it could be!” Charles stepped into the living room, grin faltering some when he realized Erik wasn’t naked, like he’d hoped to find. He stared at Erik in confusion for several long moments before he spotted the grey and black bundle of fur on his chest. 

“Oh my gosh, Erik! What on earth?” 

“Her name’s Minerva,” he said, grinning sheepishly. “I couldn’t resist naming her, and I’m sorry I didn’t let you have that honor, but she seems to like it. She’s still being bottle fed because she’s the runt of the litter and her momma died shortly after giving birth, and she was just too damn cute to pass up. I was going to get another pup for Sirius to play with, but I saw her, and. Well.” He blushed, looking shyly up at Charles. 

“Oh, Erik.” Charles smiled fondly at him, leaning over to gently scoop Minerva up into his hands. She made a quiet  noise of distress at first, then settled comfortably against Charles’s chest, purring loudly. 

“She’s lovely,” he murmured, looking down at the kitten. He stroked the top of her head with one finger, smiling warmly at her. When he lifted his head, his smile was turned on Erik. 

“She’s yours,” Erik said, sitting up and resting his chin on the back of the couch, watching Charles. “I know how much you wanted Sirius to love you like he loves me, so I got you your own animal to love and adore.” 

“Thank you,” Charles said, leaning down to press a kiss to Erik’s forehead. “I love her already.” 

Erik beamed at Charles, utterly pleased with himself. Charles settled down on the couch next to Erik, still holding Minerva close. 

“So tell me about her feeding routine.” 

Erik launched into the instructions the woman at the pound had given him, and Charles listened intently. Minerva stirred at the end of the instructions, mewling pathetically until Charles got out her bottle and fed her. When she was done, she climbed up onto his shoulder and snuggled against his neck, purring loudly. Erik laughed and snapped a picture of the two to send to Edie. 

That night, their bed was completely full; Sirius sprawled on the end of it, snuffling and twitching in his sleep. Minerva curled up on the pillow next to Charles, and Erik wrapped himself tightly around Charles, who scooted back against him. Sirius paid no mind to the kitten, having sniffed her out and found her to be satisfactory and not, in fact, a chew toy. Once he’d established that Erik still loved him and paid him more attention, Sirius was perfectly all right with Minerva. 

That night, they went to bed as a happy little family.


	2. Charles and Minerva

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short follow up that I do forever ago. Charles and Minerva snuggle on the couch, and Erik squeals like an idiot over it.

"Oh my god." 

"What?"

"You are just. Oh my god." 

"What? I don’t understand!" 

"You are so fucking cute." 

Charles looked up at Erik, raising an eyebrow at his husband. The kitten nestled in between his hoodie and his chest looked up when Charles did, mewling softly. 

"What? You are. I can’t believe you’ve got Minerva bundled up in your hoodie like that." 

"She was cold, and you know how I love to snuggle." 

"Oh my god. Seriously, you are so fucking cute." 

Charles grumped a little before settling back down on the couch and returning to his book, ignoring Erik’s barely contained giggles. 

"Hold on, I’m going to send Mom a picture." 

Charles sighed and looked up, pasting a smile on his face for Erik’s camera phone, rolling his eyes once Erik had snapped the picture. Once the camera had been put away, he went back to his book, absently reaching up to scratch behind Minerva’s ears. 

"You seriously have no idea how cute that is." Charles sighed and closed his book, giving up on getting any reading done while Erik was around. 

"Just get down here and cuddle with us already." 

Erik grinned widely, plopping down on the couch and tugging Charles back against his chest, spreading his legs so that Charles could settle between them comfortably. As he leaned back against Erik’s chest, Minerva wiggled her way out of Charles’s hoodie and crawled up onto his shoulder, curling up there and purring quietly. 

Erik let out an incredibly undignified squeak. 

"You’re worse than when we adopted Sirius," Charles muttered, turning to nuzzle at Erik’s neck a little. 

"I can’t help it. She’s so little and clearly adores you and it’s just the cutest thing in the world." 

"Mmm. If you say so." 

"I do." 

And so they spent the rest of the afternoon that way, snuggling on the couch with Minerva napping on Charles’s shoulder, Sirius eventually coming to join them, sprawled out over their legs, as they watched made-for-TV movies and dozed on and off. 


End file.
